The park covers 52,448 hectares of mostly open water, with just 5,311 hectares of land, the decree states.

However, the sub-decree notes the park excludes land committed to public use and privately owned land. Large swathes of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem have reportedly been leased for development.

The decree mandates the Ministry of Environment to manage the park in collaboration with other ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture, which includes the Fisheries Administration (FiA). The previous marine area for the archipelago was controlled by the FiA, which lacks jurisdiction over land.

Deputy Navy Commander Tea Sokha and local dive businesses have attempted to start an artificial coral reef just off the coast off Koh Rong Samloem - They submerged two large shipping containers to serves as…